Three women in their 20s, 30s and 50s in New York City banded together to motivate and inspire each other—and their story just might inspire you, too.
Although Alison Chace, Kate Robards and Lucie Fleming came from three different decades, they built a relationship around a shared desire to see each other succeed.
We often sort ourselves—and others—into generations. But Chace, in her 50s, was a mom, actress, producer and online entrepreneur. Robards, in her 30s, was a writer and comedian. Fleming, in her 20s, was a singer and actress. On paper, it’s easy to see that all three women were performers. But they shared something beyond the storytelling itch: a willingness to connect, learn and grow regardless of age.
“I think age prevents us from connecting to people because we just assume that older or younger people can’t relate to what we are living through every day,” says Fleming. “I have found that this is not the case at all, and that there is immense value in having friends of all ages. I think it is important that instead of falling into conversation habits like, ‘I’m already this age and this hasn’t happened,’ or ‘I wish I had done that ten years ago,’ we have to celebrate exactly where we are at and realize every chapter of life is important and special. That’s something Alison said in an interview once and it has always stuck with me.”
They met in a one-year theater conservatory program with The Barrow Group, run by founder, actress and director Lee Brock, who Chace says “absolutely set the tone for light, love and positivity.” Initially impressed by each other’s talent as they met three times a week for a year, they soon realized the other two also brought emotional wisdom. Their chance meeting evolved into a friendship with space for all three women to grow through the ups and downs of their careers and personal lives—with insight from three distinct decades.
Celebrate the Wins
One insight they all shared? It’s okay to celebrate your success.
Women can sometimes be reluctant to talk about what’s going well for fear of sounding boastful or making someone else feel less successful. But what if, instead, we created circles in which women could openly celebrate one another’s wins?
These three multigenerational friends lived out that idea by fostering a bond founded on positivity rather than competition.
As Chace puts it, “When you stand in your own radiance, you allow another woman to stand in hers.”
Robards echoes the idea: “It’s okay to be your most beautiful, powerful self because it allows others to stand in their truth.”
Their friendship wasn’t simply about encouragement. It was active.
They stayed connected through group chats, funny memes and FaceTime pump-up sessions. They emailed each other audition opportunities, networking events and inspiring poetry. In person, they attended plays, concerts and creative workshops and showed up for each other’s gigs.
“We are constantly consuming, sharing, and championing each other’s work,” says Robards.
“It’s just a general understanding that the purpose of our relationship is to completely trust we have each other’s back,” says Chace.
Turn Support Into Action
Chace was no stranger to cultivating female empowerment. She hosted intimate salons celebrating women and extended her reach to a broader community through her online platform Pink Wisdom, which brought together female experts to share their insights on careers and relationships.
“The more I give, the more I get,” says Chace. “Helping others helps me.”
Robards drew on her experiences living around the world to write plays she also performed. She performed at the Apollo Theater in front of a crowd of 1,600 and wrote for well-known entertainers and public figures. She also used benefit performances to raise money for nonprofit theater and shelters serving women and children.
Her goals were ambitious: write a bestselling book, perform an off-Broadway solo show, create a comedy special and develop a television show.
But surrounded by women who believed in her, she felt comfortable aiming high.
“The women in my circle believe in dreaming big and going for it,” says Robards. “With their support and belief I know anything is possible.”
Fleming—a Stanford University graduate, singer, writer and voiceover actor—moved to New York City to pursue her dream of working as a theater and film actress. In fact, she took a cab from John F. Kennedy International Airport straight to The Barrow Group, making Chace and Robards two of the first people she met in her new city.
They quickly began helping her find opportunities. Robards recommended her for a web series, while Chace introduced her to commercial agents and voiceover casting directors.
“I think of Kate and Alison as both my business partners and my best friends—we work really hard and have a lot of fun together,” Fleming says.
Learn in Every Direction
Perhaps the most compelling part of their friendship is that the wisdom didn’t flow in only one direction.
This wasn’t the woman in her 50s mentoring the woman in her 30s, who in turn mentored the woman in her 20s.
Everyone had something to teach. And everyone had something to learn.
“From Alison I’ve learned that it’s okay to ask questions. It’s okay to be direct,” says Robards. “With Lucie I’ve learned to wear your heart on your sleeve; to tell your friends every day that you love them.”
“I’ve never seen a woman with more ambition than Kate. She has taught me to be relentless in my pursuit of what I want out of my career and out of my life,” says Fleming.
And Chace provided another kind of example.
“Alison is the best listener I’ve ever met, and there is no one more engaged with the successes of their peers and colleagues,” Fleming says. “She is pretty much everything I hope to be in 25 years. She knows what she can bring to the table and yet she is always, always willing to learn and grow.”
Chace was learning from them, too.
“My biggest takeaway is how important it is to surround yourself with positive people who lift you up and who get the industry,” she says. “Having a support network is crucial to hurtling into your dreams.”
Ask: Why Not Me?
Through uplifting each other, all three women continued to pursue ambitious careers. And when opportunities slowed down, they didn’t simply wait for someone else to create the next one. They looked for ways to make things happen themselves.
Most importantly, they didn’t spend much time asking whether they were allowed to dream that big.
Instead, they asked:
“Why not me?”
It’s a question worth borrowing.
And perhaps their friendship offers another question for the rest of us:
Who is in your circle?
The women who can change your life don’t necessarily have to be your age. They don’t have to be in the same stage of their careers. They don’t even have to have experiences that mirror your own.
Sometimes the woman 20 years ahead can show you how much life is still possible.
The woman 20 years behind can remind you how much possibility you once saw.
And the woman standing right beside you can remind you that another woman’s success doesn’t diminish your own.
A powerful circle isn’t built on age.
It’s built on curiosity, generosity, trust and the willingness to genuinely celebrate another woman’s success.
So widen yours.
Make the introduction. Share the opportunity. Show up for her big moment. Tell her when you’re proud of yourself, too.
And when one of you starts wondering whether the dream is too big, remind each other to ask:
Why not me?
